Thera 5.10: Yasadatta
Tipitaka >> Sutta Pitaka >> Khuddaka Nikaya >> Theragatha >> Thera(207):Yasadatta Adapted from the Archaic Translation by Mrs. C.A.F. Rhys Davids. Commentary (Atthakatha) By Acariya Dhammapala Note: 'C' in Pali text is pronounced as 'ch' as in 'China'. ---- Chapter V. Five Verses =207. Yasadatta= Reborn in this Buddha-age in a clan of Malla (king)rājas, and named Yasadatta, he was educated at Takkasilā.1 Thereafter making a tour with the Wanderer Sabhiya,2 they came to Sāvatthī, where Sabhiya put questions to the Exalted One(Buddha). Yasadatta listened to the answers, thinking as he took his seat, eager to criticize: 'I will show the defects in the Samana Gotama's(Buddha’s) discourse.' Now the Exalted One(Buddha) knew what was in his mind, and at the end of the 'Sabhiya Sutta' addressed him in these verses: ---- 360 Upārambhacitto dummedho suṇāti jinasāsanaɱ,|| Ārakā hoti saddhammā nabhaso paṭhavī yathā.|| || 361 Upārambhacitto dummedho suṇāti jinasāsanaɱ,|| Parihayati saddhammā kāḷapakkheva candimā.|| || 362 Upārambhacitto dummedho suṇāti jinasāsanaɱ,|| Parisusti saddhamme macchā appodake yathā.|| || 363 Upārambhacitto dummedho suṇāti jinasāsanaɱ,|| Na virūhati saddhamme khette bījaɱva pūtikaɱ.|| || 364 Yo ca tuṭṭhena cittena suṇāti jinasāsanaɱ,|| Khepetvā āsave sabbe sacchikatvā akuppataɱ,|| Pappuyya paramaɱ santiɱ parinibbāti anāsavo'ti.|| || ---- 360 Who witless and with criticizing mind Did hear the Conqueror's doctrine told, Far, far from the true Path(Dhamma) is he, As from the heaven is the earth.3 361 Who witless and with criticizing mind Did hear the Conqueror's doctrine told. From the true Path(Dhamma) he declines away, As in the month's dark half the moon. 362 202 Who witless, etc. ... In the true Path(Dhamma) he withers up, As fish where water runns low. 363 Who witless, etc. ... In the true Path(Dhamma) he did not thrive, As rotten seed in furrow sown. 364 He who with glad contented mind Did hear the Conqueror's doctrine told, He, throwing out the Intoxicants(defilements/desires), Did realize the Influctuate,4 did win the Peace too great to express, And is perfected, sane, immune. ---- Thus addressed by the Lord(Buddha), Yasadatta was filled with emotion, entered the Monk’s order, and, establishing insight, in due course won arahantship(enlightenment). And in declaring anna(supreme attainment) he uttered these very verses. ---- 1 See Bud. Ind., pp. 8, 28, 203. 2 See Sabhiya's saying(gatha) CLXXXVIII.; Sutta-Nipata, iii. 6. 3 = verse 218 (sic is: 278), a line in Sabhiya's own saying(gatha). 4 Akuppatā, a very rare abstract noun from akuppa, undisturbed, unshaken. 'Is perfected' (parinibbāti, more usually the deponent form parinibbāyati) in the sense of rounded off, complete - i.e., attained life's climax and end. 'Sane,' etc. = anāsavo. ---- =5.10 207 Commentary on the stanza of Yasadattatthera= The stanza starting with uparambhacitto constitutes that of the venerable thera Yasadatta. What is the origin? This One also, having done devoted deeds of service toward former Buddhas, accumulated good deeds conducive towards escape from rounds of repeated rebirth (vaṭṭa) in this and that existence. In that manner indeed, he was reborn in a brahmin family at the time of the Blessed One Padumuttara, reached proficiency in the arts and sciences of the brahmins, gave up sensual pleasures (kāma) renounced the world by becoming an ascetic recluse, and was dwelling in the forest, when he happened to see the Master, became pleasingly pious-minded, raised his clasped hands and made his praise. On account of that act of merit, he wandered about his rounds of repeated rebirths among divine and human beings and was reborn in the royal family of Malla in the kingdom of Malla, when this Buddha arose; having gained the name Yasadatta, he, on having come of age, went to Texila, made himself learned in all arts (sippa), and was wandering about on his tour together with the wandering philosopher (paribbājaka) Sabhiya, eventually approached the Blessed One, at Sāvatthi, and sat down saying to himself: “I shall see the defect (dosa) in the view (vāda) of the monk Gotama,” listening to what passed between the two when the question asked by Sabhiya were being answered, and spying rsults himself. Thereupon, the Blessed One, having come to find out his mental bahaviour (ācāra) spoke these five stanzas in order to give advice to him at the entire end of His teaching of Sabhiyasutta:– 360. “An unwise man (dummedho) who is hostile hearted listens to the instruction of the Conqueror; he is far off from the good truth (saddhamma) according as the earth is from the sky.” 361. “Hostile-hearted fool bears the message (sasana) of the Conqueror; he dwindles (parihāyati) from the good truth (saddhamma), similar to the moon in her waning half. 362. “Hostile hearted ill intelligent individual listens ot the teaching (sāsana) of the Conqueror; he becomes all-round dried up in the good truth (saddhamma) resembling a fish in scanty water. 363. “Hostile-hearted-ill intelligent individual listens to the dispensation (sāsanaṃ) of the Conqueror; he does not grow in good truth (saddhamma) resembling a rotten seed in the soil of the field. 364. “Whoever, on the other hand, listens to the instruction of the Conqueror, with a happy (tuṭṭha) heart, he, having thrown off all cankers and visualised Arahantship (akuppaka) would attain absolute tranquility (paramaṃ santiṃ); he as canker-free enters nibbāna completely. There, upārambhacitto means: aggressive minded; he who signifies (adhippāyo) to grow angry (dosāropana); thus, is the meaning. Dummedho means: unwise (nippañño). Ārakā hoti saddhammā nabhaso viya pathavī means: such an individual as he is far off even from the good truth (saddhamma) of proper performance (paṭipatti) similar to the earth from the sky; all the more (pageva) he will be far away from the good truth (saddhamma) of proper penetration (paṭivedha). To him who ever engages himself in such quarrelsome speech as: “You do not comprehend this dhamma and vinaya,” from where (would come) the tranquil and subtle good truth (saddhamma) fo proper performance (paṭipatti). Parihāyati saddhammā means: he dwindles down (nihīyati) from such good truth (saddhamma) as faith (saddhā) which belongs to the former portion (pubbabhāgiya) and so on and from the nine varieties of transcendental (lokuttara) truths (dhamma). Parisussati means: he will clearly dryup owing to the absence of gladdening (pīhana) essence (rasa) and such good conditions (dhamma) as zest and joy (pītipāmojja) and so on. Na virūhati means: he does not attain to growth (virūḷhi) and increasing development (vuddhi). Pūtikaṃ means that which had reached the condition of being rotton owing to no-existence of supplying (dāna) of smearing (lepa) with cow-dung (gomaya). Tuṭṭhenacittena is an instrumentive expression in the characteristic (lakkhaṇa) of ablative case (itthambhūta); was in his own elements (attamano) and became glad (pamudito); thus, is the meaning. Khepetvā means: having well cut off. Akuppataṃ means: Arahantship. Pappuyya means: having attained (pāpuṇitvā). Paramaṃ samtiṃ means: nibbāna shorn of substratum (anupādisesa). His achevement of it (tadadhigamo) also wholly but without passage (agamana) of time; not anybody of any category (vidho); thus, in order to show it, it has been said by him as “Parinibbāti’nāsavo.” Having been advised in this manner by the Master, he became remorseful, entered the Order of monks, established himself in the path of developing spiritual insight (vipassanā) and attained Arahantship but before long. Hence, has it been said in the Apadāna.-- “I saw the most excellent of men (dvi- paduttama) shining similar to Kaṇikāra flower, brillient like the tree of lighted lamps and glittering resembling gold. Placing the long spouted water jar (kamaṇḍalu), my reed-raiment as well as my water pot, I put on my antelope skin with my one shoulder bare (ekaṃsaṃ) and made my praise of Buddha, the best. O great Sage! You had crossed clear the (sea of) blinded darkness, which is destructive (vidhama), badly tangled (samākula) with the net of delusion after having shown the light of knowledge (ñāna). There is nothing to compare with your knowledge as far as the earth (jagato) goes (gati) to the world whose boundary limit is eradicated (sumuddhara), unsurpassed by all possessions (sabbāvanta- manuttaraṃ). O Omniscient Buddha! On account of that knowledge, you are thus said to be Buddha, the awakened. I pay my homage to that great hero, the omniscient without any hindrance (anāvara). It was a hundred thousand aeons (kappa) ago that I praised Buddha, the best. I do not remember any evil existence; this is the fruitful result of my praise of (Buddha’s) knowledge. My depravity had been burnt. … Buddha’s instruction had been carried out.” Having, however, attained Arahantship, in order to reveal his Arahantship (aññā) also the thera spoke but these self-same stanzas. The Commentary on the stanzas of the Thera Yasadatta is complete. ----